We used Brooklyn bicyclists for the photo shoot for the Bike 'O' Rama Bonanza Giveaway. Here's your chance to get to know Justin!
Tell us your (briefly) your bike story. How did you get into biking, what kind of biking do you do, how active are you in the local bike community, etc.
Basically, I have been riding bikes for as long as I could walk. I used to ride BMX as a kid and sometimes would be made fun of for riding my bike to school even though I had my own car hahaha. I got into fixed gear and became a bike courier when I started university to study Environmental Sciences. I have been riding for transportation and work ever since!
Where are your favorite places to bike in NYC?
My favorite places to ride in NYC are the along the Hudson Greenway and over the George Washington bridge. The trails in Cunningham Park and the Kissena Velodrome are also my favorite destinations when time and daylight allows. Summer trips down to Red Hook are also fun because it’s fairly quiet after Red Hook Crit and there are some pretty sweet restaurants, bars, and waterfront park views.
How do you describe Po Campo to your friends, or what do you think is special about Po Campo?
I would describe Po Campo as stylish functional and practical accessories for those who spend lots of time on their bikes. It’s so cool and casual you can even use it when you leave your bike at home without looking like a full on cyclist.
Share a story about when you really appreciated having your Po Campo bag
I love my Po Campo bag for taking my laptop to the cafe to work and the ability to keep my helmet out of the way and secure when I’m not riding and a nice holder for my water bottle as well. It’s really light, comfortable, and looks great.
A favorite tip (or two) about how you incorporate mindfulness and healthy habits into your daily life?
I would say to be mindful of the limits of your body. It’s always hard to find a balance between getting enough sleep and still finding the time to get everything in your schedule done and eating healthy as opposed to just grabbing some junk food that won’t sustain you for long. As much as I love to be on my bike I realize that time off the bike is essential for the body to rest and recover.
A suggestion for women who are interested in biking but have safety concerns?
It is important to feel safe while riding but unfortunately we know that there are many hazards and dangers that cyclists are susceptible to. Only through time and experience will you begin to feel safer and when you learn how to navigate through traffic and to recognize potential threats before they happen. One can learn tips quickly from riding with someone who is more experienced. Fortunately, there are a lot of opportunities to go on group rides throughout NYC so that you can have others with you until you become more confident to venture and explore on your own.
If you could take a bike ride with anyone (living or dead) who would it be, and why?
Hmmmmm? I’d say Major Taylor. As a Chicago native and African American cyclist I have a lot of respect for him because he overcame many hardships and disadvantages in order to achieve some of cyclings top prestige during that time in history. He was the first African American to be inducted into the United States Bicycle Hall of Fame a remarkable accomplishment for a person like him.
If you could take a bike vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I think that would like to take a bike vacation to Denmark in the near future. To me it seems like the “Bicycle Capital of the World” Things just seem to work there and I’m super curious.
Do you have any bike goals for 2018?
I don’t set too many competitive goals for myself in regards to cycling. Staying safe and healthy is my number one goal because there’s no riding at all without those two. I would like to do a few road and track races over the summer and possibly try out cyclocross for the first time! We’ll see what happens!
What's one memory from the photo shoot that you'd like to share? Or, what about the photo shoot did you enjoy the most?
The moment when the ice cream truck pulled up was pretty memorable! It was a perfect sunny day and it literally pulled up right next to us. The driver was super chill and friendly and the ice cream was soooooo good!
